Well the title is deceiving, I haven't been yet but I am considering it, specifically bow hunting small game, or possibly deer/moose. A good friend of mine was introduced to rifle and bow last year and he has the "buck fever" now. Is totally obsessed and really wants to get me out there. Here's the problem; the way he described everything is a total turn-off to me. What I mean by that is, spending weekends setting up salt and apples to get the deer to hang out in the area you plan to hunt/have your blind set up. The other is the whole charcoal clothes/scent blocking thing. I understand what all this is for and why but it seems all very artificial to me. Please for you here that do, don't take that as an insult. But are there people who just go out there and stalk? Pick up a game trail and follow? Is that a thing?
Hunting New Guy
- Thread starter ADK
- Start date
Yes, you absolutely can still hunt. I'll walk very slowly, looking all around with my binoculars every few steps. I'll do this for 30 or so minutes, then sit and watch for 30 or so minutes. I've taken bucks in their beds, found elk bedded down, and even a coyote snoring behind a bush doing this.
I don't buy the scent stuff, either they smell you or they don't.
I don't buy the scent stuff, either they smell you or they don't.
Ive taken mature deer while smoking a cigar sitting against a tree while hung over and covered with stripper glitter. Scent lock is marketing to me. They either care or dont. Years of hunting and watching deer ive come to realize the best tricks are to know the areas and how deer behave and when and where they move. Find a natural hide and wait or slowly stalk thru known areas where deer are known to be. Play the wind. Dont skyline yourself.
Some ppl bait. Some hunt only from stands. Some hunt with only archery. Some only rifle hunt. Some use hounds
What matters is canadians are still getting out hunting and enjoying how they do it. If its legal whether you like it or not doesnt matter. Hunt the way you enjoy to hunt
Some ppl bait. Some hunt only from stands. Some hunt with only archery. Some only rifle hunt. Some use hounds
What matters is canadians are still getting out hunting and enjoying how they do it. If its legal whether you like it or not doesnt matter. Hunt the way you enjoy to hunt
Sidearm Sambo
Regular
I do believe in scent control. Wash clothes in scent free detergent. Store out of house in tote with natural spruce and cedar boughs. Use the wind to your advantage. Treestands give you a better view of game approaching and getting ready to pull back your bow or set sights in the shooting lane. Quiet clothing and good camo(blend in). No movement, deliberate actions and listen intently. You will enjoy what nature has to offer and learn everyday you enter the bush/forest. Practice shooting often.Stay safe and shoot straight. Be proud , be responsible and follow the law. Enjoy
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
90% of the hunting I do is quad hunting, travel down a cut line on the quad till you see a deer then dismount, short stalk if required and shoot it.
sometimes I will quad in to a spot that I know is good ground and walk the area, or sit on a big hill and have a coffee / lunch and try to spot deer, then stalk them till they are in shooting distance.
and occasionally the deer come out to the roadside and I can shoot them there
now different provinces have different terrain / forest types so different techniques apply.
now this is a technique I have not tried... stripper glitter sounds like a win, now if your in Ontario can you substitute stripper glitter for blaze orange ?
sometimes I will quad in to a spot that I know is good ground and walk the area, or sit on a big hill and have a coffee / lunch and try to spot deer, then stalk them till they are in shooting distance.
and occasionally the deer come out to the roadside and I can shoot them there
now different provinces have different terrain / forest types so different techniques apply.
now this is a technique I have not tried... stripper glitter
sounds like a win, now if your in Ontario can you substitute stripper glitter for blaze orange ?
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
We used to do drives, with, or without dogs. Set up your line of guys and try to push deer to them. Some folks use a line of moving hunters to push the bush, some send one guy with another quietly following him to push. It sounds much easier than it is. Deer can get around most anything you can come up with. I think I said it before " The stupid deer, those you can shoot". Statistically the guy who sits quietly in a blind, or tree stand will out do you, but drives can be a lot more fun. We pushed small areas, so the guys walking came out in two hours max. That way the guys on stand were not frozen solid. Then we moved to a new area and tried again.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
I’m a fairly new hunter, this will be my third season. I’m hooked and love everything about it. I like to hike and scout early in the season, get to know my area and where th game trails are. I have been using trail cam at some private land spots I have access to and they’re helpful. Once the season is opens I hike in and wait in a good guy ground ambush spot, late in the season I will bait with apples and alfalfa to try and catch a late season buck. I do a bit of driving in to hike specific areas or still hunting. I don’t enjoy tree stand hunting, I find it’s uncomfortable and prefer to be on soft ground or stalking.
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- near Prince Albert
There's many ways to hunt, so pick the method you find works best for you, and get it figured out. A slow stalk/still hunt, or sit and wait at what I deem a decent spot, is far more exciting than other methods for me. Wind in your face always, otherwise keep your eyes peeled 200-300 meters away because that's where some of the deer will bust out when they smell you. While I don't smoke cigars, I smoke cigarettes while hunting, and it doesn't seem to hinder me. I imagine no wind in a low area the smell would creep out and spook nearer game animals though.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Over at a buddy’s place the deer are always 30-50 yards from his porch when he’s sitting around after work having a few beer and smoking, I think they’re so used to it it’s almost an attractant for them now lol.
Haha yes! The classic hangover buck!
Success of this fashion is the only thing keeping me from being completely hardcore.
The most important part of deer hunting is time in the bush, I spent a couple of decades still hunting/tree climbers. Now with age and health slowing me down I absolutely love my heated ground blind.
Get out hunting every minute you can and learn about deer and the woods.
It will take awhile but choose the best hunting partners possible, they are a big difference between a good and bad hunt, regardless if you get a deer or not.
The enjoyable part of hunting is not getting a nice buck, its about being outdoors and enjoying yourself.
Get out hunting every minute you can and learn about deer and the woods.
It will take awhile but choose the best hunting partners possible, they are a big difference between a good and bad hunt, regardless if you get a deer or not.
The enjoyable part of hunting is not getting a nice buck, its about being outdoors and enjoying yourself.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
The thing with stands is to learn to watch the small stuff going on around you. Put your damned phone away, and study the animals. Mice, birds, squirrels (rotten little buggers), and the bigger stuff that may happen by like fishers, or rabbits, or coons. If you can be quiet and still enough, even standing still on the ground you can see some amazing things. I have had grouse walk within inches of my boots. Learning about them makes you a better hunter, and passes the time quickly, and quietly, until bigger game appears.
Quoted for truth, Blue Jays are tattle tales, squirrels all walk around thinking they weigh 100lbs and make the noise of a 200lb creature. I've been sitting against a tree when a doe and two fawns walked by 4 feet away, very tempted to swat one on the but haha.
90% of the hunting I do is quad hunting, travel down a cut line on the quad till you see a deer then dismount, short stalk if required and shoot it.
sometimes I will quad in to a spot that I know is good ground and walk the area, or sit on a big hill and have a coffee / lunch and try to spot deer, then stalk them till they are in shooting distance.
and occasionally the deer come out to the roadside and I can shoot them there
now different provinces have different terrain / forest types so different techniques apply.
now this is a technique I have not tried... stripper glitter
Bow season you dont need orange. Havent had the stripper glitter since i got married. However my current technique is focus on the phone and occassionly look around. Try not to be to surprised when the deer are less than 20 yards. Win some loose some.
ADK, where are you located? Spot & stalk is more viable in open country than it is in central Ontario. I've had my best luck just sitting and waiting. I'm mindful of the wind direction, but I don't use scent control. I'm usually alone or with one brother, so drives aren't practical anymore. I'd like to try to track one up, but we never seem to have enough snow anymore.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Which province or territory and which part of it indeed ADK? That’ll be a big part of the answers. But in short, you can simply just go hunting, indeed. Your friend’s not misguided just dedicated, you can however approach hunting more casually, for sure.
Get out there and find a comfortable spot, relax let everything settle in. Slow everything down from what is probably a demanding lifestyle. Once you have gotten your head where it needs to be hunt whatever style appeals to you. A successful hunt is measured in many ways.
